I Became the Villain’s Master - Chapter 23

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Chapter 23

I couldn’t help but smile involuntarily at the soft and fluffy texture of its fur. If they had been raising such an adorable creature, they should’ve made a grand announcement at the temple, proclaiming its arrival with great fanfare.

My heart clenched at the sight of the fox, a creature that possessed all the cuteness in the world. It felt as though my heart had been replaced with a delicate wisp of cotton candy, light and sweet.

“Kiing!”

The fox stared at me with its big, round eyes, whimpering softly as if wanting to be held.

“Oh!” I cautiously embraced the fox, feeling its squirming movements against my chest. It seemed slightly uncomfortable, yet its restlessness only added to its undeniable charm, leaving me breathless.

“What am I going to do… It’s too cute!”

I found myself at a loss, unsure of what to do, and in that moment, the fox responded by licking my face with its warm tongue, its panting breath tickling my skin.

Its continuous displays of affection chipped away at my steely composure.

‘Why does it like me so much?’

The fox greeted me as if it had found its long-lost owner, a bond that I had no recollection of, yet it brought me great joy to have this fluffy bundle of joy following me around.

The fact that the fox had sought refuge in the personal prayer room suggested that someone had abandoned it, or perhaps it had wandered away from its owner at the temple.

‘If they were going to abandon it, they shouldn’t have raised it.’

Fortunately, the fox appeared well-groomed and clean, as if someone had been taking care of it. Moreover, it displayed no signs of fear toward me. It was highly likely that it had recently lost its owner.

‘I have to find its owner.’

Thinking that I should inform the priests first, I stroked the fox’s back and asked, “Where did you come from?”

“Kiing! Kkiing!”

The fox tilted its head, emitting an adorable whimper in response to my words. It wriggled its body as if it were attempting to convey something.

“Huh?”

When I carefully placed the fox on the ground, it pressed its tiny paws firmly against the floor, as if indicating that it had been here all along.

“You’re from here?”

“Kiing!”

Could it truly understand my words? Sensing a connection, I continued, “Then, where is your owner?”

“Kiing!”

The fox circled around me and lightly tapped me with its long tail. As if it were saying, ‘You’re my owner.’

“Thank you, but I’m not your owner. Don’t worry though; I’ll make sure to find your owner.”

In response, the fox let out a mournful cry, as if pleading not to be abandoned once more.

Tears threatened to well up my eyes as I fought against the overwhelming sense of guilt. I felt as though I had committed a grave sin!

“Alright, alright. Let’s go for now,” I said, cradling the fox in my arms as I opened the door out of the prayer room. My plan was to explain the situation to Sion and then seek out the priests for assistance. However, to my surprise, the corridor was empty.

* * *

Sion’s eyes scanned the vacant prayer room, his gaze filled with pensive contemplation.

“Mistress?” he called out, his voice tinged with concern. Having finished his prayers early, he eagerly awaited Rosette’s arrival, donning the robe she had instructed him to wear. But as Rosette was nowhere to be seen, a sense of unease began to creep over him.

“Is she still praying?” Sion initially thought that Rosette might be praying diligently. However, when he mustered the courage to open the door and venture inside, the room revealed no trace of her presence.

A chill ran down Sion’s spine, a feeling of foreboding settling upon him. The notion that Rosette had returned home without a word seemed highly unlikely, especially when she had expressed such eagerness to experience the festival. Troubled by these thoughts, Sion frantically searched the temple. Yet, despite his attempts to describe Rosette’s appearance to the priest who stood nearby, he only received vague and unhelpful responses.

“Have you seen a beautiful person with brown hair and blue eyes? She was wearing a robe.”

“Hmm… I haven’t seen anyone like that. I don’t know.”

“A disappearance has occurred within the temple. Shouldn’t you at least care about that?”

“You need to tell me who disappeared first…”

He only received unhelpful responses.

“Where is she?”

Sion found himself grappling with a profound sense of anxiety. Several days ago, when he had learned that she had been in danger, the mere absence of her presence had nearly driven him to the brink of madness.

“Ah, Sion. There were slave traders who sold you as a slave. I dealt with all of them. No one will come after you anymore,” Rosette had assured him, her selfless act leaving an indescribable surge of emotions within him.

A smile involuntarily graced Sion’s lips, his chest tingling with warmth. However, amidst these sentiments, he remained deeply concerned for Rosette, who seemed to disregard her own well-being. His own inadequacy fueled his anger.

“I will also take care of your security from now on.”

He assumed the role of a guardian, unwilling to leave Rosette’s side even for a moment. He couldn’t know when she would face danger again, similar to the incident with the slave merchants. Also, protecting his mistress was a slave’s duty.

“Mistress.…”

The guilt of not being able to protect Rosette weighed heavily on him. He searched the temple again, returning to the prayer room multiple times. Then he rushed out of the temple, his breathing rough. Despite numerous people passing by him, there was no Rosette calling his name with a smile.

“….”

His breath hitched, and his heart raced uncontrollably. Sion’s crimson eyes lost their focus, and within his vacant gaze, a figure was seen. The person donned a robe adorned with peculiar patterns that shimmered like the night sky.

They stood out conspicuously from the rest. Soon, recognition dawned upon Sion as he gazed at the robe.

‘That’s…’ Unknowingly, Sion found himself drawn towards the person clad in the robe.

“Ugh…”

Clutching his head, Sion collapsed to the ground. A pain akin to the headaches he experienced when receiving blessings surged through him, gradually unearthing fragments of forgotten memories.

Sion recalled his affiliation with the Magic Tower, remembering that he had once worn that very robe before losing his memories.

“…Magic Tower.”

Though he couldn’t fathom why he had garnered such reverence from numerous mages in his memories, he did remember being a mage of considerable power.

“Then how… did I lose my memories?” Sion rose to his feet, his throbbing head firmly gripped in his hands.

The mages had vanished from his sight, seemingly participating in the festival solely for their own enjoyment.

“Are you okay?”

“Don’t worry about me.” When someone approached Sion with concern, he raised his head.

The woman, however, quickly retreated from his vicinity, apparently startled by his vacant gaze.

‘Finding the mistress comes first.’ Sion wanted to ask the mages who he really was, but he held back. Finding Rosette was the most urgent matter at hand. He could feel his heart being engulfed in darkness, and he resumed his steps towards the temple. If he failed to find Rosette, Sion was certain he would succumb to madness. Read ahead here.